Sen. Tulfo: PH’s ‘backdoor’ being used for human trafficking

Senator Raffy Tulfo has revealed that a “backdoor exit” was allegedly being used to transport Filipinos out of the country by illegal recruiters and human traffickers who promised them a job abroad. 

In a privilege speech, Tulfo said that this may be the same route used by dismissed Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and her companions to escape the Philippines, according to Mark Salazar's report on Unang Balita.

According to the senator, the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were lured by illegal recruiters to work in Europe in exchange for a P400,000 placement fee.

However, the way they exited the Philippines was unusual. 

“Nagsimula ang kanilang paglalakbay noong August 6. Lumipad sila ng commercial flight mula Manila papuntang Zamboanga. Noong August 7, lumipad naman sila mula Zamboanga papuntang Tawi-Tawi,” Tulfo said. 

(Their journey started on August 6. They took a commercial flight from Manila to Zamboanga. On August 7, they flew from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi.)

“Noong August 8 ng madaling araw, pinagpatuloy ang paglakbay sakay ng bangka. Dito hinipuan sa maseselang bahagi ng katawan ang isa sa mga babaeng OFW nung kanilang bangkero,” he added.

(Early morning on August 8, their trip via boat continued. There, one of the female OFWs was touched on the sensitive part of her body by the driver of the boat.) 

Out of fear of being thrown out in the sea, Tulfo said the OFW no longer resisted while being harassed. 

He also said that the group of OFWs were able to reach Semporna, Sabah the night of August 8. From there, they transferred to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia then headed to Thailand. 

“Tinawagan nila ang kanilang recruiter. Kung ano anong dahilan ang sinabi sa kanila at sinubukan silang hingan pa ng pera upang maayos pa raw ang problema,” the senator said. 

(They called their recruiter, who told them different excuses and even asked them for more money to supposedly fix the problem.) 

“Kinalaunan, tumawag na ang grupo sa mga pamilya nila dahil binabantaan na sila ng kanilang recruiter na kung hindi sila magbibigay ng karagdagang pera, magkaka-problema sila dahil may droga ang kanilang mga iniwan daw na bagahe.”

(Later on, the group called their families as the recruiter already threatened them that if they didn't give more money, they would get into trouble because the luggage they left behind allegedly contained drugs.) 

The incident was reported to Tulfo’s office and to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) that’s why the OFWs were rescued.

The issue was raised to the Senate Committee on Labor and Committee on Justice and Human Rights to be investigated. --Giselle Ombay /VAL, GMA Integrated News